Stephen Curry works his wizardry in Game 1

Warrior Stephen Curry (30) goes up for a first half shot against Rockets Pablo Prigioni during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Warrior Stephen Curry (30) goes up for a first half shot against Rockets Pablo Prigioni during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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Rockets' James Harden is fouled by Warrior Andre Iguodala (9) in the first period during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday, May 19 in Oakland, Calif.

Rockets' James Harden is fouled by Warrior Andre Iguodala (9) in the first period during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday, May 19 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

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Stephen Curry (30) shoots during the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, May 19, 2015. The Warriors defeated the Rockets 110-106. less

Stephen Curry (30) shoots during the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, May 19, 2015. ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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James Harden (13) shoots while defended by Festus Ezeli (31) and Draymond Green (23) during the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, May 19, 2015. The Warriors defeated the Rockets 110-106. less

James Harden (13) shoots while defended by Festus Ezeli (31) and Draymond Green (23) during the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

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Warrior Stephen Curry (30) defends against Rockets Josh Smith in the fourth period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Warrior Stephen Curry (30) defends against Rockets Josh Smith in the fourth period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

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Rockets James Harden drives against Warriors Festus Ezeli (31) and Draymond Green (23) in the third period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Rockets James Harden drives against Warriors Festus Ezeli (31) and Draymond Green (23) in the third period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

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Rockets James Harden tries to get past Warrior Klay Thompson (11) in the fourth period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Rockets James Harden tries to get past Warrior Klay Thompson (11) in the fourth period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

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James Harden (13) shoots while defended by Festus Ezeli (31) and Draymond Green (23) during the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, May 19, 2015. The Warriors defeated the Rockets 110-106. less

James Harden (13) shoots while defended by Festus Ezeli (31) and Draymond Green (23) during the second half as the Golden State Warriors played the Houston Rockets in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals at ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

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Warriors fans celebrate with Stephen Curry (30) in the second period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Warriors fans celebrate with Stephen Curry (30) in the second period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

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Warrior Stephen Curry (30) goes up for a first half shot during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Warrior Stephen Curry (30) goes up for a first half shot during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

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Warrior Stephen Curry (30) is guarded by Rockets James Harden late in the fourth period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Warrior Stephen Curry (30) is guarded by Rockets James Harden late in the fourth period during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 in Oakland, Calif.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Stephen Curry works his wizardry in Game 1

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Stephen Curry can command the masses with a flick of his graceful wrist. Turn thousands to stone. Convert a concrete building into a cavern of deafening joy.

On Tuesday night, in the first game of the Western Conference finals, Curry unleashed his mighty powers again. One game after silencing an arena, a team and the city of Memphis with a 62-foot shot, Curry demanded that 20,000 gold-shirted devotees rise as one and scream to the heavens.

He did it again and again throughout Game 1, scoring 34 points, including six three-pointers, and leading his team to a wildly entertaining and competitive 110-106 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Game 2 is Thursday, and we’re already impatient. After just 48 minutes, this series has the feeling of legend, with Curry and his Houston counterpart, James Harden, trading MVP swagger and drop-back threes.

“It’s entertaining basketball,” Curry said. “We’re supposed to help our team win. Hopefully, we both have a big impact.”

It has been 39 years since the Warriors have been in the conference finals. On May 2, 1976, in the same structure that was then called the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Arena — long before technology companies had naming rights power — the defending-champion Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns 128-103. No one on the current roster would be alive for several more years.

Maybe that’s why the Warriors looked so uncomfortable in the first half. Trying to adjust to a team that played a very different style from the Memphis Grizzlies, the Warriors fell behind by 16, unable to stop Houston in the paint.

“We finally realized we were in the Western Conference finals,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Game 1 is usually a feeling-out process. But Houston was not in that process.”

The Warriors finally got their legs under them and went on a 25-6 run, using their small lineup to spread the floor and force the pace.

And as the final second of the half ticked off, Curry stepped back and launched a 20-footer that slipped through the net as the buzzer sounded. The Warriors led by three, at Curry’s command, the masses erupted, and the team never trailed again.

But it was a fight. Houston didn’t simply succumb as so many opponents have.

Anything but overrated

The fans at Oracle put up a good front, chanting “Overrated” at Harden, who finished second to Curry in the MVP voting and who continued to insist he thought he should have won the award. It was a brave effort, but with 28 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, Harden showed exactly how not overrated he is.

After Dwight Howard left the game with a bruised knee, it felt like Harden vs. Golden State, and Harden darn near prevailed.

On the other side of the country, the NBA draft lottery was held. That used to be the biggest night of the year for the Warriors, the annual event when the league’s losers gather to watch pingpong balls determine their fate.

This year was an example of how upside down the NBA is. The mighty Los Angeles Lakers were waiting for a pingpong ball to drop while the Warriors were winning Game 1 of the conference finals.

The last player the Warriors needed a pingpong ball to acquire was Harrison Barnes. Their lottery pick in 2012, the reward for going 23-43 in a strike-shortened year.

In celebration of being the Warriors’ last lottery pick for likely a good long while, Barnes had a little moment where he took over the game. With the score tied and five minutes to play, coming out of a timeout, the called play was a lob to Barnes for a slam dunk. Then he blocked Harden’s shot, stole the ball and found Curry, who missed the layup, but Barnes put it back for a dunk. That sparked an 11-0 run that sealed the victory. Happy Lottery Day!

Catching breaks

As it has for them along the way in these playoffs, the Warriors caught another break Tuesday. Howard played only 26 minutes, after leaving the game in the first quarter with a bruised knee. He came back, but wasn’t effective and didn’t play down the stretch.